THE BALLAD OF F.D.R
(Almanac Singers)

It was on a Saturday night and the moon was shining bright,
They passed the Conscription bill.
And the people they did say for many miles away,
T'was the president and his boys on Capitol Hill.

cho: Oh Franklin Roosevelt told the people how he felt,
We damned near believed what he said.
He said "I hate war and so does Eleanor but
We won't be safe till everybody's dead.

When my poor mother died, I was sitting by her side,
Promising to war I'd never go.
Now I'm wearing khaki jeans and eating army beans,
And I'm told that J. P. Morgan loves me so.

I have wandered over this land a roamin'workingman,
No clothes to wear and not much food to eat.
Now the government foots the bill, gives clothes, and feeds me swill,
And gets me shot and put underground six feet.

Note: this commemorated the passing of the Selective Service Act
of 1940, the U.S.'s first peacetime conscription. It was
violently opposed by most U.S. left-wingers, at least until
Germany invaded the U.S.S.R. RG
Recorded by Almanac Singers, Songs for John Doe
@parody @political @peace
filename[ BALLDFDR
TUNE FILE: JESSJAME
CLICK TO PLAY
RG
mudcat.org

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